Patriot Act
"Patriot Act" is the seventh episode of the third season of . It originally aired on February 25th, 2006. Plot A flashback depicts a World War II mission of the famous Spy Smasher, who invades a secret Axis laboratory and steals a syringe containing an experimental super-soldier serum. Moving into the present, we see that General Eiling, former military liaison for Cadmus, is reviewing the sixty-year-old casefile. Eiling dines with former colleague Amanda Waller, who has greatly softened her anti-Justice League-stance since the Lex Luthor/Brainiac affair. She advises Eiling that the times are changing, and strongly suggests that the old soldier should change with them. Eiling is unconvinced, and decides to take action. He sneaks into a military installation and steals the old Captain Nazi serum. After injecting it into his body, Eiling transforms into a monstrous brute of a man with fangs and grey skin. Vowing revenge against Superman, Eiling springs into the air with incredible superhuman strength and heads for the one place he figures he can find the Man of Steel. Meanwhile, aboard the Watchtower, Mr. Terrific has a mission for some of the Justice League reservists. S.T.R.I.P.E., Stargirl, Vigilante, Shining Knight, and Green Arrow are dispatched to Metropolis to cover what is normally a job for Superman. The quintet assumes public relations duty aboard a parade float paying tribute to Metropolis' heroes — the police and fire departments (much to Stargirl's chagrin.) The spectators are at first disappointed by Superman's absence, but soon begin to warm to his non-powered teammates thanks to Vigilante's knack for showmanship. However, Eiling disrupts the parade with a thunderous impact and sends the crowd into a panic. At first, S.T.R.I.P.E. is able to engage him, but even the Justice Leaguer's powerful armor is no match for Eiling's Doomsday-level strength. Stargirl attacks with little effect, and it is all Vigilante can do to keep the bystanders safe with the help of some local children. Eiling bellows out for Superman to face him, but instead he is faced by Green Arrow, Vigilante, and the Shining Knight, who fare poorly against the powerhouse. Green Arrow calls the Watchtower for assistance, but the only available back-ups are the Crimson Avenger, and Arrow's former partner Speedy (who corrects Arrow's initial comment of "ex-sidekick" upon arrival.) But the new additions are non-powered as well, and after a valiant stand, the Avenger, Speedy and Green Arrow are knocked cold. The last remaining Justice Leaguer is the dazed Shining Knight, who informs Eiling that Superman is billions of miles away, saving millions of alien lives from a planetary crisis. Eiling is unimpressed, and begins to taunt Sir Justin. The former servant of King Arthur tries to remind Eiling of a true warrior's honor, and the protection of the innocent at all costs, but is quickly pounded unconscious. Eiling moves to strike a crippling, perhaps killing blow to the Shining Knight but is halted by the parade spectators. An old woman admonishes Eiling for the damage and terror he's caused, and when the general tries to speak out against the super-powered "threat" of the Justice League, he is quickly reminded that the only superhuman being for miles around is himself. Eiling acknowledges the irony, but tries to remind the crowd that super-beings cannot be trusted, and that someday, they would need someone like Eiling around. He leaps away, and though they are battered and bruised, the seven soldiers of the Justice League are further appreciated for their efforts as they are imitated in the streets by the children of Superman's home city. Continuity * General Eiling alludes to time they trusted Lex Luthor, which turned out to be a mistake in "Panic in the Sky." * Eiling also reminds Amanda Waller of the time Superman raided a Cadmus facility to rescue the Question in "Question Authority". According to him, the events of that episode take place about a year prior to this one. Background Information Trivia This episode is full of references to classic DC Comics. *General Wade Eiling's brutish persona is never officially named, but it is similar in appearance and ability to the Shaggy Man, later renamed "The General," an indestructible brute who first fought the original Justice League of America in the 1960's and would reappear sporadically in subsequent years. Eiling's rampage through Metropolis is somewhat similar to that of the comics version of Doomsday. Although Doomsday has appeared in the DCAU, the character was never given the full-on rampage that Eiling is allowed here. As with Doomsday and even Blockbuster, Eiling can be said to have several similarities to the Incredible Hulk of Marvel Comics as well. Since there have been literally hundreds of "super-rampages" throughout illustrated fiction--at least a hundred in Metropolis alone--many similarities may be coincidental (but considering that the DCAU creative team is constantly paying tribute to comics lore, probably not.) *The seven Justice Leaguers represent The Seven Soldiers of Victory, a classic DC Comics team of the Golden Age. The first version of this team featured Shining Knight, Vigilante, the Star-Spangled Kid, Stripesy, Green Arrow, Speedy, and the Crimson Avenger. Stripesy would eventually become S.T.R.I.P.E., but since the Star-Spangled Kid has not been depicted in the DCAU, he is replaced here with the natural inclusion of Stargirl. *The smart-mouthed group of street kids who first mock the reserve Justice Leaguers and later assist them are not named as such, but are dead ringers for DC's Newsboy Legion. Cast Uncredited Appearances *Crimson Avenger *S.T.R.I.P.E. *Big Words *Captain Nazi *Scrapper *Spy Smasher *Tommy Tompkins Quotes Category:Justice League Unlimited episodes